Sunderland have been credited with an interest in Hearts starlet Alfie Osborne.
Sunderland are one of several Premier League clubs keeping tabs on promising Hearts talent Alfie Osborne, according to reports.
The 17-year-old has impressed as part of the youth setup at Tynecastle this season, transitioning from a spot in the centre of midfield to a role in the heart of defence, and as per TEAMtalk, has seemingly done enough to catch the eye of a number of English suitors in recent months.
In a fresh update on the starlet, the online outlet state that both Arsenal and Manchester City had scouts in attendance to watch Osborne in action for Scotland U19s in midweek, and despite his side slumping to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Italy, the common consensus was that he had delivered a standout display at the back.
Given his age, under current regulations, English sides would be able to bring Osborne south of the border for a compensation package believed to be less than £250,000. For their part, Hearts are eager to avoid such an outcome, and have made efforts to convince him to sign a new long-term contract in Edinburgh. As things stand, it is understood that Osborne himself is open to the prospect of an exit - a stance that could spark a battle for his signature this summer.
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What has been said about reported Sunderland target Alfie Osborne?
Speaking about Osborne back in 2024 after including him on the bench for a preseason friendly against Fleetwood Town, then-Hearts boss Steven Naismith said: “As you can see, the size of his presence, he's got good feet for somebody so big and young. He's got a great attitude... He's a young kid. He's trained with the first team a few times. There are quite a few young players that probably could have had the opportunity but I think a bit of circumstance [stopped it]. He's done well when he's been around the first team.”
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